Chapter 6
After finishing his shower in the hotel room, Seung-hyuk opened the refrigerator and pulled out a cold can of beer.
People often asked him why he always stayed at hotels whenever he came up to Seoul, when he had such a large, comfortable family home. But they didn’t understand—this small hotel room was far more comfortable to him.
Chhhk—
The sound of the tab snapping open was followed by foam bubbling up. He drank almost half the can in one gulp and glanced around the room.
It wasn’t the same room where he had spent the night with Yu-ju a month ago, but the layout was the same. Naturally, since it was the same hotel.
That night inevitably came back to him.
Her face, growing defenseless the more he pushed her.
Her slender wrist, looking as though it might really break if he applied pressure.
Her long eyelashes trembling the more he cornered her.
Had there ever been anyone in his life who made him this restless and curious?
Even he wasn’t sure what this feeling was.
And yet, Yu-ju, whom he had met again in the daylight, seemed like a completely different person from that night.
Bathed in the late-summer sunlight, turning toward him, she had looked neat, unblemished, and transparent.
The dazzling image of her under the sun only ignited him further—far more than the woman who had given herself over to him that night.
“Sigh…”
It was the same space he always stayed in, yet today it felt strangely unfamiliar. The silence was too deep, too empty. Against his will, his gaze drifted to the bed, then quickly away.
Exhaling, he downed the rest of the beer in one go.
“Then what if I do have to take responsibility?”
“Just act as my wife.”
Seung-hyuk’s words had been echoing in Yu-ju’s head for days now. Every time she thought of him, her cheeks grew warm for no reason.
And why had she gone to the hotel on the day of his wedding? She realized dimly—it had been just to see his face one more time, even if it was for the last time.
When she found out the marriage had been called off, she was struck with overwhelming guilt, thinking she might have ruined his life. And yet, she couldn’t ignore the faint relief that crept in.
Even though she had taken his phone number, she told herself it was a good thing he hadn’t called. But still, every time her phone rang, she couldn’t help but wonder if it might be him.
“Teacher, someone’s here for you.”
She was about to step into the next lesson room when one of the kids called out. The academy was crowded with children just back from elementary school.
“Just a moment.”
She excused herself from the student waiting for the lesson. No one should have reason to visit her here. She frowned in puzzlement and headed toward the entrance.
“Who’s Cha Yu-ju? Isn’t Cha Yu-ju coming out?”
Crash—
With rough voices came the small screams of the children. Startled, Yu-ju turned her head.
Two huge men, their skin covered in tattoos visible beneath their clothes, had shoved over the potted plants at the entrance.
“W-Who are you?”
Her chest plummeted. Her head went blank.
Bang!
One of them slammed a fist onto the academy’s front desk. The impact was so strong it rattled the walls. Other teachers and even the director peeked out nervously from the back.
“You Cha Yu-ju?”
“Y-Yes…”
It was impossible to approach strangers like these easily. Her legs shook violently as she barely managed to stand. One man stepped forward and roughly grabbed her by the collar. She swayed helplessly in his grip like a sheet of paper.
“If you borrow money, you pay it back. Didn’t they teach you morals in school? What kind of person has no conscience?”
“…!”
She couldn’t even scream as she was dragged out of the academy. The other teachers and the director only watched, pale with fear. Her chest tightened, suffocating, but her body was frozen.
A wave of déjà vu struck her. The same thing had happened at her previous academy. She’d had to quit back then, too, because of men like these.
Thud—
They flung her onto the pavement outside. Her bare arm scraped along the asphalt, leaving beads of blood. But terror drowned out the pain.
“You know Cha Gi-ju, right? That bastard put you down as guarantor.”
The man pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and waved it in front of her face.
Of course.
She bit her lip. The same as before—her younger brother Gi-ju had borrowed dirty money again.
“I… I don’t know anything about it.”
She stammered through her ragged breathing. Last time, she’d had to repay his debt herself—juggling lessons, part-time jobs, days with no rest.
“Damn, the brother and sister are both acting like we can’t touch them.”
The man’s expression twisted as his hand clamped onto her chin. His grip was so strong she felt her jaw would shatter.
“Want me to show you what happens if you don’t pay?”
His chilling eyes swept over her. His hot, foul breath brushed her ear.
Yu-ju’s eyes widened in terror, tears streaming down her face. His lips curled in a sick smile—
Rrrring—
Her phone rang. It must have fallen when she was thrown down earlier, now lying on the ground. She reached for it with trembling hands, but the man snatched it first.
“Hyun Seung-hyuk? A guy, huh?”
He squinted at the caller ID and smirked. Yu-ju’s eyes widened further.
“Your boyfriend, huh? Perfect. Let’s have him pay up for you.”
Before she could stop him, the man swiped the screen and answered.
“Hello.”
Seung-hyuk had returned to Seoul for a few days after being called back from the Gangwon branch.
He’d been holding himself back from calling her, though the urge was strong. His proposal had been impulsive, but sincere—and she deserved time to think.
But once he was back in Seoul, his patience snapped. After finishing his schedule at the main hospital, he immediately dialed her number.
To his relief, the call went through after a few rings.
“Hello.”
But the voice on the other end was a man’s. His brow furrowed instantly.
He lowered the phone, double-checking the contact. It was Cha Yu-ju’s number.
“This is Cha Yu-ju’s phone, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. It’s hers.”
Behind the man’s sly voice, he caught the faint, trembling cry of Don’t, please don’t.
He recognized that voice immediately. His whole body stiffened.
“Where are you?”
The hand gripping his phone whitened with strain. His low, gravelly voice grated in his throat.
“Who the hell are you?”
After ending Seung-hyuk’s call, the men dragged Yu-ju by the arm to a park near the academy. The sky was streaked with red, but darkness was falling.
She looked desperately around for help, but there was no one.
“Your boyfriend says he’s on his way.”
One man shoved her roughly toward a wisteria-covered bench.
She stumbled, gritted her teeth.
“He’s not my boyfriend. He has nothing to do with this. Please…”
“Shut up and wait.”
The man smirked, lighting a cigarette.
She cursed the timing of that phone call. She didn’t want him seeing her like this, dragged into filth. She didn’t want him involved. She didn’t even know if it was pride or something else.
Why hadn’t she just ignored him?
“Look, I’ll find a way to pay it back. Just don’t—”
“And how exactly are you gonna do that, huh?”
“Yeah, just let your boyfriend pay. Works out for everyone, right?”
The two of them laughed, blowing smoke into the cooling night. Yu-ju stared blankly at the white smoke drifting into the darkness.
Why was her life always like this?
Snippets of memory flashed through her like a broken reel:
Tripping and scraping her knees on purpose, milk cartons thrown against her school uniform, her hair yanked in rough hands, her cheeks stung red by slaps.
Her mother’s weary, dismissive voice: You handle it yourself.
And then—
“No!”
A tuning clamp flashing before her eyes.
The painful memories made her shudder.
And at that moment—
“Hey. You the ones messing with Cha Yu-ju’s boyfriend?”
He appeared before her, almost like an illusion. For a second, she thought she was seeing things.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
His low voice cut through the air.
Shame and relief washed over her all at once. She dropped her gaze to the ground.
